


Imprints

by SincerelyChaos



Series: Embodiment Cognition [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, M/M, Medical Conditions, Nonverbal Communication, Writing on Skin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 11:22:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9121342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SincerelyChaos/pseuds/SincerelyChaos
Summary: “At least I know I’m making an impression, however fleeting. You yourself will never tell me such things, but your skin is far more communicative,” John says.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Imprint (dermographism)
> 
> The first ficlet in a series of stand alone ficlets exploring the correlation and cause and effect between mind and body. And then there's love to add in to it...
> 
> (This might be the fluffiest thing I've ever written.)
> 
> Also; one of the most amazing things that can happen to a podfic lover has happened to me. The brilliant and talented bagofthumbs made a podfic for this story, and hearing her read it... don't read this yourself; listen to her reading it instead! It's far more intense.

 

 

“You’re very reactive to touch,” John says, trailing his fingers firmly down Sherlock’s forearm, down to his wrist where it rests beside the pillow.

Sherlock is certain that John can almost feel him roll his eyes, because John ought to know that such banalities will not be granted with any verbal response.

(That John would think that those are the kind of things Sherlock wants to hear–)

“Not like that,” John responds to Sherlock's unspoken denial. “I was referring to your mast cells.”

The pressure on his forearm changes, John is using only one fingernail now, tracing patterns onto the exposed skin.

“Look, your cells are responding to my touch,” John says, teasingly, and Sherlock gives in, turns to his side to look at the arm as John’s finger slows until it’s resting on Sherlock’s wrist, no doubt feeling his pulse.

(His body. It gives him away.)

Looking at his arm, Sherlock sees the wheals. They form a pattern, a name written into his skin using only the pressure from a fingernail.

_J-O-H-N_

Beside him, John smiles.

“It’s a condition called dermographi–”

“I’m aware of what it’s called,” Sherlock interrupts him.

He knows his own skin, and this instability of his mast cells means that every pressure against his body leaves its own red wheals at the area of contact.

(They fade just like footprints left at the shore are washed away in a matter of minutes.)

“At least I know I’m making an impression, however fleeting. You yourself will never tell me such things, but your skin is far more communicative,” John says, his fingers now retracing his own name on Sherlock’s skin, not allowing it to fade quite yet.

Sherlock could say something then, could point out that his skin is part of him and therefore it’s unfair to say that Sherlock won’t share his reactions, but he doesn’t. Letting John not only leave his imprint on him, but also allow him to see the imprints he’s made means Sherlock’s already laying himself bare in more than one sense.

“It’s enough for me,” John murmurs, the skin of Sherlock’s shoulder tickling with the sensation of John’s lips moving against it.

As John reaches for his clothes and then proceeds to make his way upstairs to his own room, Sherlock turns more to his side, raising his forearm to look at it.

_-H-N_

It’s enough, for now.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> "The term dermographism (or dermatographism) literally means writing on the skin. Firm stroking of the skin produces an initial red line (capillary dilatation), followed by an axon-reflex flare with broadening erythema (arteriolar dilatation) and the formation of a linear wheal (transudation of fluid/edema); these events are collectively termed the triple response of Lewis."
> 
> (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1050294-overview)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Imprints](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9127003) by [bagofthumbs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagofthumbs/pseuds/bagofthumbs)
  * [Intimate Imprint](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10724637) by [ChrisCalledMeSweetie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrisCalledMeSweetie/pseuds/ChrisCalledMeSweetie)




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